Announces $1.1 million in Grants to Three Faith-based Organizations in Los Angeles, Bay Area

Governor Gray Davis today announced grants totaling $1.1 million to three faith-based organizations in the Los Angeles and San Francisco areas.

The funds continue Californias partnership with these community organizations to provide job training and other innovative services to individuals not traditionally serviced by existing programs.

These community leaders and I share a common motivation  we want to help people move forward, said Gov. Davis at the First African Methodist Episcopal Church of Los Angeles (FAME). This unique partnership will continue to help individuals who face great challenges move toward self-sufficiency.

The three projects include: First African Methodist Episcopal (FAME) Assistance Corporation in the South Central community of Los Angeles; West Angeles Community Development Corporation in the Crenshaw community of Los Angeles; and the Ella Hill Hutch/UJIMA Consortium, San Francisco. Each project will receive $400,000, $400,000 and $300,000 respectively, to improve their job placement services.

The Governors Community and Faith-Based Initiative broke new ground for California by proposing to enlist the assistance of community organizations, including faith-based and secular organizations.

Historically, community organizations maintain a distinctive relationship within their neighborhoods, and promote personal and social improvements. The Governor, in recognition of institutional barriers faced by organizations and individuals in need of assistance, launched this critical Initiative to strengthen local efforts.

This is a unique effort in which government is partnering with faith-based organizations to help at-risk citizens to receive the training and mentoring they need to move into the workforce, added Gov. Davis.

Since its inception in 2000, more than $18 million has been provided to approximately 50 projects. These projects have used both paid staff and unpaid community volunteers to reach the most difficult-to-serve and hardest-to-employ populations traditionally not reached through mainstream employment and training efforts.

To date, approximately 7,000 individuals have been served, with more than 1,500 obtaining employment as a direct result of services received.

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